The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for pediatric inpatients falls.

The study was a matched case-control design. The participants were 279 patients under the age of 6 who were admitted between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2009. Through chart reviews, 93 pediatric patients who fell and 186 ones who did not fall were paired by gender, age, diagnosis, and length of stay. Five experts evaluated the 38 fall risk factors selected by the researchers.

In a general hospital, pediatric patients with secondary diagnosis, tests that need the patient to be moved, intravenous lines, hyperactivity, anxiolytics, sedatives and hypnotics, and general anesthetics showed significance for falls on adjusted-odds ratios. Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to elucidate the factors that influence pediatric inpatient falls. The probability of falls increased with hyperactivity and general weakness. Patients who didn't have tests that required them to be moved and intravenous line had a higher risk of falls.

These findings provide information that is relevant in developing fall risk assessment tools and prevention programs for pediatric inpatient falls.

This study was done to compare clinical nurses’ knowledge and visual differentiation diagnostic ability for the pressure ulcer classification system (PUCS) and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD).

A convenience sample of 602 nurses took the pressure ulcer classification system and incontinence-associated dermatitis knowledge test (PUCS & IAD KT) and completed the visual differentiation tool (VDT), consisting of 21 photographs with clinical information.

The overall mean score for correct answers was 14.5 (± 3.2) in PUCS & IAD KT and 11.15 (± 4.9) in PUCS & IAD VDT. Incorrect responses were most common for statements related to stage III, IAD for PUCS & IAD KT, and suspected deep tissue injury (SDTI), un-stageable, and stage III for PUCS & IAD VDT. Significant correlations were found between PUCS & IAD KT and VDT (r= .48, p< .001). Factors affecting scores for PUCS & IAD VDT were PUCS & IAD KT, frequency of pressure ulcer, IAD management and participation in wound care education programs.

Results indicate that nurses have an overall understanding of PUCS & IAD, but low visual differentiation ability regarding stage III, SDTI, and unstageable ulcers. Continuing education is needed to further improve knowledge and visual differentiation ability for PUCS & IAD.